Operating handle lever means for rotary hand brakes



May 31, 1949.

K. WILLIAMS 2,472,036

OPERATING HANDLE LEVER MEANS FOR ROTARY HAND BRAKES Filed Aug; 20, 1947 2 ShetS-Sheet 1 f a W K. WILLIAMS May 3l', 1949.

OPERATING HANDLE LEVER MEANS FOR ROTARY HAND BRAKES Filed Aug. 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 31, 1.949

UNITED STATES FATENT FFICE OPERATING HANDLE LEVER MEANS FOR ROTARY HAND BRAKES This invention relates to hand brakes of the lever-operated type especially adapted for use on railway cars.

One object of the invention is to provide actuating means for rotating the chain-winding drum of a hand brake mechanism wherein the drum is held against rotation in brake-releasing direction by a releaseable locking dog, comprising an operating handle lever supported for swinging movement about a horizontal axis and having operative engagement with a driving member for rotating the winding drum, and being automatically disconnected from operative relation with respect to the driving member and drum when dropped to pendent position, thereby allowing for rotation of the drum independently of the operating handle lever when the dog is disengaged to etect release of the brakes.

A more specic object of the invention is to provide an actuating means, as set forth in the preceding paragraph, wherein operative engagement of the handle lever with the drum driving member is eected by gripping means carried by the lever and actuated by a toggle link connection with the same for holding the gripping means engaged with the driving member as the lever is swung in one direction and for effecting disengagement thereof upon the lever being swung in the reverse direction and also when dropped to pendent position.

Other objects oi the invention will more clearly appear frorn the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a lever-operated hand brake mechanism embodying my improvements, showing the mechanism mounted on the end wall member of a railway car. Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical sectional view of Figure l, looking toward the right in said ligure and showing the operating handle lever mechanism in elevation. Figure 3 is a broken view similar to Figure 1, showing the operating handle lever swung upwardly. Figure 4 is a detailed View of the operating handle lever and cooperating parts, showing the gripping means in disengaged position. Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 5 5 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the gripping means in engaged position.

My improved operating lever means, as illustrated in the drawings, is shown as applied to a hand brake mechanism of the power-multiplying type enclosed in a housing lll (Figs. 1 and 2) mounted on the vertical end wall l l of a railway car and comprising the usual chain-winding drum I2 fixed to a horizontally disposed shaft I3 rotatably mounted in the housing, a gear wheel M fixed to the shaft I3, a driving pinion l5 meshing with the gear wheel It and xed to a horizontally disposed shaft l' beneath the shaft i3 and also rotatably supported in the housing, a ratchet wheel il fixed to the shait lli, a pivoted spring-pressed locking dog l 3 engaging the ratchet wheel, and a trip lever i9 for actuating the dog.

in carrying out my invention, I provide means `for intermittently rotating the shaft it which is geared to the chain-winding drum l2, comprising broadly a lever A (Figs. 4, la' and 6), link members ,l-B swingingly supporting the lever A on the shaft it, a locking dog CL, toggle link members D-D and E-E connecting the dog to the lever A the shaft it, and a clutch wheel F, with which the dog C is engageable, nxed to the shaft it.

The clutch wheel F is in the form oi a disc provided with an annular set of peripheral teeth 2li and a central hub fi l. The wheel F is mounted on the outer end portion oi the shaft l5 which projects from the housing lil, being to this shaft for rotation in unison therewith, and said projecting end of shaft being provided with a portion (Fig. 5) of square cross section and the hub El of the wheel F having an axial opening 23 of square cross section fitting the portion of the shaft. Inwardly of the section the shaft Eli has a bearing section 2d of reduced diameter, the diameter or" this section being preferably at least as great as the diagonal measurement oi the square portion 25:. The portion ci shaft l5 outwardly of the square portion 22 is ci still iurther reduced diameter and is threaded at its eX.- tremty, as indicated at 25, to receive a nut This last named reduced portion of the shaft provides a cylindrical bearing section 2l between the square portion 22 and the threaded extremity of said shaft.

The lever A is swingingly supported on the shaft by the links B--B, which have their upper ends journaled on the bearing portions Zei and respectively of the shait and their lower ends pivotally connected to the upper end of the lever A by a pivot pin 2S. This pivotal connection between the lever A and the links B-B provides for a certain amount of swinging movement oi the lever with respect to the links. At its pivotal connection with the links B-B, the lever is enlarged, as shown, thus providing a head portion 2e. The head portion Ztl is formed with an inwardly opening pocket ist into which the lower ends oi the links B-B extend, and the pivot pin it is supported in suitable openings in the side walls of said pocket. As shown in Figures l, 4 and 6, the pocket 3Q has the end wall thereof at the left-hand side of the head, as viewed in said iigures, inclined upwardly and outwardly, thus providing a short arm 3l on said lever for actuating the toggle links D-D. IThe opposite end wall 38 of the pocket is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lever A and by engagement with the links B-B acts as a limiting stop to restrict swinging movement of the lever to the right with respectto thelinksBTl,`

The lockingdog C is inthe form of ablock ar- .A

ried on a pivot pin 32 extending through the toggle links D-D and E-E. Pin 32 is fixed against; rotation in the lower ends of thelinks by welding, and the locking dogI C is'xel,agai nst g' rotation on the pin 32 in the same manner. Thus the locking dog C is maintained in circumfereng..

tial alignment with the clutchO wheel 1. The upper ends of the links E-Eare'pivotallyconf nected to the pivot pin 32.

The lower ends of the links D-D are rotatably supported on the pink 28 between the links, B-B

with their upper ends directly embracing the dog ing engagement with the shaft. As shown in the drawings, the upper ends of thelinks E-E bear on opposite ends of the hub 2| of the clutch. Wheel F and are embraced bythe links B-B, the entire assemblybeing held in position by the nut 26 at the outer end of. the shaft I6. The lower ends of the links B-By and D-D are held properly spaced apart by interposed.collars35--35 and 36 on the pin 28. The dog C, which is actu-v ated by the toggle links D-D, is provided with suitable teeth; 31. The arrangement is such, that the teeth 3`l'are engageable with the teeth 20 of the Wheel F When'the parts are in the position. illustrated in Fig. 6.

In the operation of Imy improved mechanism,

in applying the brakes, the operatinglever A is Y oscillated, thereby effecting intermittent rotation of the clutch wheel -F and rotation of the drum E2 to wind the chain thereon. Inswinging the lever A upwardly or to the left, as seenin Figures 1 and 4, there is also pivotal movement oiY the lever A on the links B-B, therebyvswingingthe arm. 3| against the toggle links D-D, causingfrom the position-shown inFigures l andai` through that shown in- Figure'towardthe position .shown in Figure 3, rotationA is imparted- .to the shaft i6 and the -drum I2.' During thereturn stroke of the lever A,v thesame lrstpivotsonythe.

links B-B, thus withdrawing.thearm f3lfrom;

engagement with the links D-.D and. permitting..

the dog C to drop by the action of gravitytofdisengage the wheel F. This swinging movement The-lever A isthus permitted to returnto. thependent position shown in Figurelwhile the..

wheel F remains stationary, held by the ,locking dog engaging the ratchet wheel l1. Oscillating swinging movement of the lever A iscontinuedI until the brakes have been applied to thedesired.,

extent;-

AsV will be evident, when .the lever A is in its.

pendent position, as shown in FigureAL the dog.

C is Vfree of the toothed wheel permitting Vfree rotationof the-latter and quick release of the brakes when the locking dog I8 is released in the usual. manner by operation of the trip lever I9.

I claim:

1. In operating means for the rotary chaintightening element of a hand brake, the combination witha toothedwheel operatively connected to the rotary tightening element for rotating said rotary tightening element, said wheel being rotatableabout a horizontal axis; of a link swingingly supported for rotation about the axis of rotation lof said Wheel; an actuating lever pivoted togtheglower end of said link; a second link pivoted at one end to said lever; a third link pivoted at itslower end to the upper end of said second namedV link and supported at the upper end for swinging movement about the axis of rotation of said wheel, said last named link being guided for vsliding movement at its upper end; a locking dog carried by the pivotal connection of said secondand thirdlinks; and a short arm on said lever engageable with said second named link by rela-.-

tive swingingmovement of said arm and rst named link to rock said second named link toward saidirst named link to force the dog into gripping engagement with said wheel.

2. In operating nieans for the rotary chaintightening element of a hand brake, the combination with a horizontally disposed rotary drivingshaft operatively connected to said tighten-..

ing, element for rotating said tightening element; of a toothed wheel xed to said shaft for rotation therewith; a link swingingly supported at its upperend on said shaft; an operating lever pivotally connected at its upper end to the lower end of said link; a second link pivotally connected at its vlower end to the upper end of said lever; a.

locking dog carried bythe upper end of said second named link; and an arm on said lever thrown into engagement with said second named linky by relative swinging movement of said lever and first named link for swinging said second named` link toward said iirst named link to lift said dog into engagement with said wheel.

3. In operating means for the rotary chaintightening element of a hand brake, the combination with a horizontally disposed driving shaft. operatively connected to said tightening element for, rotating said tightening element; of a wheel xcd to said shaft for rotation therewith; a link journaled at its upper end on said shaft; a sec-.

ond linkhaving a guide slot therein at its upper. end within which said shaft is engaged for mounting said link for swinging and sliding movement with respect to said shaft; a third link; a pivot vvmember secured to the lower end of said second link and connecting the lower end o said.l second named link to the upper end of said third.

named link; a locking dog secured lto said pivot. member andengageable with said wheel; a pivot. member connecting. theV lower ends of said firsty and third named links to the upper end vof said... lever; and a short arm on said lever engageableV with'fsaid third link for swinging the sametoward said rst named link by relative swinging movementof said lever and rst named link to.,force said'doginto engagement with said wheel.-

KEITI-I WILLIAMS..

REFERENCES CITED Thefiollowing references are of record'inthe.

lefof this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date i Great Britain Nov. 25, 1899 Number. 

